Ovechkin Milestone Thread - Countdown to 894

[StephenPeat]

Honestly, this has been his finest season in over a decade to me.

I’m almost as excited to see him reach 40 assists and cross 90 points in a season again as I am for all the goal milestones.

He started his career with 6 straight 40+ assists seasons (ranging from 46-59) and 5 straight 90+ point seasons. He could do both for the first time in 11-12 years.

If he gets to 93 points this year, it would be the 5th highest total of his career.

I actually want Gretzky to hold onto the goals record, but I can really get behind this version of Ovechkin playing so well rounded at the end of his career breaking it.

Looking like he’s on track to pass Howe before the end of the first half of next season.

Here’s the thing. The Caps are likely not contenders. People say they’re playing for Ovechkin but I’ve played the game. Losing is morale busting, knowing you’re always one tick away from scoring (which is how dangerous Alex Ovechkin is) gives the entire team confidence they can win. Don’t get it twisted, he’s playing for them as much as they’re playing for him. He WILLS the team to win and makes it so. Nicklas Backstrom is a SwedISh (S) watch but Father Time is catching up and the gears are grinding. When any Cap pulls on that sweater, they’re doing it for themselves, to build a career and a livelihood for themselves. Alex Ovechkin has little more to prove but he does it because he loves it and he knows they need him. I hope he never retires and plays forever and breaks every record. But he can’t. Crosby always had Malkin, Gretzky…Messier and Kurri, Lemieux….Jagr. Ovechkin has a sad sack crew comparatively and he’s holding his own. I, for one, don’t see any need for vindication, he’s an All-Time Great and disputing that is becoming an ever-more futile position. The Game owes him far more than he owes it.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Great post. They say you can't win a Cup without a superstar centre and/or a stud defenseman.

The Caps didn't have either of those, no offense to Kuz, Backstrom and Carlson, yet Ovechkin, the greatest LWer ever, carried them to a Cup.

Ovie is the only one on the team over the last decade plus that's going to the Hall of Fame. Perhaps Backstrom although that's not a sure thing.

 

[Rengorlex]

Great post. They say you can't win a Cup without a superstar centre and/or a stud defenseman.

The Caps didn't have either of those, no offense to Kuz, Backstrom and Carlson, yet Ovechkin, the greatest LWer ever, carried them to a Cup.

Ovie is the only one on the team over the last decade plus that's going to the Hall of Fame. Perhaps Backstrom although that's not a sure thing.

Kuznetsov carried that team more than Ovechkin in 2018.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

“losing is morale busting”


Lmao they have 82 points, if they played in the West they’d be the 3rd best team in the conference. Making them sound like they lose a lot is disingenuous, they just play in an insane conference. I don’t think morale is an issue and I don’t think their roster looks all that bad.

 

[Firsov99]

Kuznetsov carried that team more than Ovechkin in 2018.

Kuzy was exceptional in 2018, and I would agree that the Caps would not have done it without him. But at the same time, Ovi had 15 goals (playoffs franchise record), and there is no way the Caps would have won the Cup without his goals either. Both were critical pieces on the path to the Cup.

 

[BallardEra]

Kuzy was exceptional in 2018, and I would agree that the Caps would not have done it without him. But at the same time, Ovi had 15 goals (playoffs franchise record), and there is no way the Caps would have won the Cup without his goals either. Both were critical pieces on the path to the Cup.

Have to agree. Him scoring that early goal against Tampa in Game 7 calmed the team down and helped maintain their belief during that run.

Narrative might have been a lot different if Tampa gets that first goal.

Ovechkin led the way and Kuznetsov was finally their version of Malkin on the way to the Cup.

 

[max21]

Do you guys remember when Alex Ovechkin passed Pittsburgh legend Jaromir Jagr for sole possession of 3rd all time

 

[Dingo]

It's gonna feel so real once he's within double digits early next year.

its going to be awesome when he passes Howe, but i have a feeling he will slow down, and then that extra 90 is going to take a long time.

I hope Im wrong and he keeps ripping 40 goal seasons for enough years to make everyone start talking about 1,000

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Kuznetsov carried that team more than Ovechkin in 2018.

Lol. Naw. Kuz had a good year and a great playoffs as Ovie's linemate. Ovie was the star of the show, though.
Anyway, hope to see a McD versus Drai Conn Smythe debate in the near future.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

its going to be awesome when he passes Howe, but i have a feeling he will slow down, and then that extra 90 is going to take a long time.

I hope Im wrong and he keeps ripping 40 goal seasons for enough years to make everyone start talking about 1,000

If he perfects this shot off the faceoff and they get their centers to actually win faceoffs more consistently (I think they are 27th in the League) that'll speed up the process.

Sprinkle in his one timers on the Power play and likely an increased net front presence (hard to move one of the strongest players in the League) to score more Andreychuk type goals and he should be alright.

Ovie has reinvented himself a number of times and is always working on new ways to score goals. He's still a treat to watch after all these years.

 

[Drakon]

Have to agree. Him scoring that early goal against Tampa in Game 7 calmed the team down and helped maintain their belief during that run.

Narrative might have been a lot different if Tampa gets that first goal.

Ovechkin led the way and Kuznetsov was finally their version of Malkin on the way to the Cup.

That series is also over in 5 if Holtby doesn't have a 3 game reversion to AHL quality goaltender.

 

[Firsov99]

Have to agree. Him scoring that early goal against Tampa in Game 7 calmed the team down and helped maintain their belief during that run.

Narrative might have been a lot different if Tampa gets that first goal.

Ovechkin led the way and Kuznetsov was finally their version of Malkin on the way to the Cup.

And Kuzy scored, arguably, one of the most memorable goals in the Caps history against the Pens in game 6. Sweet memories...

 

[Price is Wright]

Great post. They say you can't win a Cup without a superstar centre and/or a stud defenseman.

The Caps didn't have either of those, no offense to Kuz, Backstrom and Carlson, yet Ovechkin, the greatest LWer ever, carried them to a Cup.

Ovie is the only one on the team over the last decade plus that's going to the Hall of Fame. Perhaps Backstrom although that's not a sure thing.

Never thought I would see a Capitals fan disrespect Backstrom.

 

[TJHKY]

 

[Dingo]

i really hope he can keep up this current, focused version of himself for a long time. what a pimp.

 

[Zuluss]

Tying Kurri also made Ovechkin #5 all-time among all wingers in career points

Jagr 1921
Howe 1850
Recchi 1533
Selanne 1457
Ovechkin 1398

 

[wetcoast]

Great post. They say you can't win a Cup without a superstar centre and/or a stud defenseman.

The Caps didn't have either of those, no offense to Kuz, Backstrom and Carlson, yet Ovechkin, the greatest LWer ever, carried them to a Cup.

Ovie is the only one on the team over the last decade plus that's going to the Hall of Fame. Perhaps Backstrom although that's not a sure thing.

Look I have no problem with the narrative that Ovi finally wins the SC and as the captain got the Conn Smythe but this narrative that he carried the capitals to the SC really overlooks the contributions of the 4 other Capital players who scored 20 points or more that post season, including Kuz who scored 5 more points than Ovi.

It's simply a false narrative.

 

[Firsov99]

#772 plus another game winning goal (#121) allowed him to pass Howe.

 

[andrjusha]

Number of 42+ goals NHL seasons:
OV 12
Mario 10
Gretz 9
...
McJesus 0

 

[M2Beezy]

Man I love this player

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Daws is Ovechkin's latest new victim. He looks hungry for 50, needs 8 goals in 15 games.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Never thought I would see a Capitals fan disrespect Backstrom.

Yeah, that's over the top and inaccurate. Ovechkin won the Cup by the time he was well surrounded.

Kuznetsov was huge in the 2018 run and finished 1st in points. Holtby pitched back-to-back shutouts to push the Caps to the SCF. Backstrom was injured for a portion of the playoff run, but he still made great plays in key situations. Oshie, DSP and Eller scored clutch goals against Tampa and Vegas.

Ovechkin did not single handedly bring the Caps to the Cup, but he elevated his game and inspired his teammates as a leader.

The biggest criticism I have is towards the early Caps management under McPhee. He absolutely wasted Ovechkin's peak years between 2008 and 2010.

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

That's absurd. At age 36. Defies logic.

 

[HurricaneFanatic]

Man I love this player

How do you leave him that open? Christ lol.

 

[Javaman]

I hope Ovechkin fails.